Quote:Thousands of young people throughout California can only dream about health care. They want to live healthy responsible lives. But that's hard to do when you can't see a doctor or you don't have health insurance.

Check out this 30 second video, "Dreaming of Healthcare." We made it in partnerships with a group of young Californians. They're all undocumented. Technically that means they're not US citizens. But we think they couldn't be more Californian.

California should not be a place that says some young people deserve healthcare and some don't. Access to screenings and checkups helps people prevent problems before they start. When healthcare includes everyone, and we mean everyone, that keeps us all healthy. We're in this together.

Check out #Health4all and help us spread the word that California's health depends on everyone. Everyone. Learn more about us at http://www.calendow.org

They don't need to dream when it's a reality. Taken directly from Wikipedia:

"The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA)[1] is a U.S. Act of Congress passed in 1986 as part of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). It requires hospitals to provide care to anyone needing emergency healthcare treatment regardless of citizenship, legal status or ability to pay"

Jon Doe;88448 Wrote:They don't need to dream when it's a reality. Taken directly from Wikipedia:

"The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA)[1] is a U.S. Act of Congress passed in 1986 as part of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). It requires hospitals to provide care to anyone needing emergency healthcare treatment regardless of citizenship, legal status or ability to pay"

....and this is why our insurance is soooo high. Because they charge extra to insurance companies to cover for all the free care they are required to hand out.

I was in the hospital for some issues a couple of years ago, and literally, it took them THREE days (two nights) to give me like three tests. I'm pretty sure they took their time on purpose to suck my insurance for all it was worth, because of all the freebies that were down the hallway.

Jon Doe;88448 Wrote:They don't need to dream when it's a reality. Taken directly from Wikipedia:

"The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA)[1] is a U.S. Act of Congress passed in 1986 as part of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). It requires hospitals to provide care to anyone needing emergency healthcare treatment regardless of citizenship, legal status or ability to pay"

....and this is why our insurance is soooo high. Because they charge extra to insurance companies to cover for all the free care they are required to hand out.

I was in the hospital for some issues a couple of years ago, and literally, it took them THREE days (two nights) to give me like three tests. I'm pretty sure they took their time on purpose to suck my insurance for all it was worth, because of all the freebies that were down the hallway.

I don't really consider emergency situations being provided qualifies as giving them free health care in the same sense that giving illegal immigrants tax payer funded health insurance year round is giving them free health care. I would not want to live in a country where I was left to die simply because I didn't have insurance. Then again I am a dreamer, I'd like to live in a world where there is no exchange of money at all in any part of healthcare. That is probably way, way off in the future, maybe 500 years or more.

RugerGirl;88455 Wrote:....and this is why our insurance is soooo high. Because they charge extra to insurance companies to cover for all the free care they are required to hand out.

I was in the hospital for some issues a couple of years ago, and literally, it took them THREE days (two nights) to give me like three tests. I'm pretty sure they took their time on purpose to suck my insurance for all it was worth, because of all the freebies that were down the hallway.

I don't really consider emergency situations being provided qualifies as giving them free health care in the same sense that giving illegal immigrants tax payer funded health insurance year round is giving them free health care. I would not want to live in a country where I was left to die simply because I didn't have insurance. Then again I am a dreamer, I'd like to live in a world where there is no exchange of money at all in any part of healthcare. That is probably way, way off in the future, maybe 500 years or more.

Health care with no exchange of money? LOL....who would want to be a doctor?! Unless you want to go back to the bartering system.

In India everyone pays cash for their dr visits, and appointments are walk-in. I wouldn't mind it like that. I wish we could go back to paying cash, it would simplify things, and seems like things would be cheaper too. And get rid of frivolous lawsuits.

If you think about it, there are certain parts of healthcare like chiropractors and dentists that sometimes people pay in cash because there are less insurance options THUS costs are less. You can see a chiropractor, sometimes with massage, for $40 for an hour. You can sometimes have a dental checkup for like $60-$100. But doctor appointments are way higher....due to lots of things, but partly overcharging insurance to make up for being underpaid by the government plans.

RugerGirl;88490 Wrote:In India everyone pays cash for their dr visits, and appointments are walk-in. I wouldn't mind it like that. I wish we could go back to paying cash, it would simplify things, and seems like things would be cheaper too.

^^^^^^^^^^^Agree with this completely

Disentangle one more greedy profit driven (not that there is anything wrong with someone making a profit) entity out of the healthcare system...the health insurance companies. Focus the ability to profit on doctors offices. Aren't they their own small businesses? They have overhead, receptionists, nurses, physician assistants. You have big business (HMOs and health insurance companies) trying to get as big a financial piece of the healthcare pie at the expense of the patient and small business.

Increase competition. If more doctors requested cash payments instead of insurance it would be a win win for doctor and patient. The health insurance companies would be removed from the equation. They wouldn't be there in their customary role to pay the doctor what THEY think the services rendered to the patient are worth. The increased competition among doctors would lower the out-of-control spiraling rising cost of healthcare in this country.

Some of the best doctors in the U.S. only accept cash. They are tired of being underpaid, dictated to by insurance companies and having a third party frequently meddle in the doctor-patient relationship.

I have a good friend who is from India...she is here legally and has a good job (Indian people are geniuses)...but she was having fertility issues so instead of jumping through all the hoops here, she just simply went home to visit her family, and while there, she just went to a local doctor and got examined and paid cash for that as well as for fertility drugs. Easy peasy. I was jealous. Well not of the fertility drugs. haha.

As an unrelated side note, her sister came over here from India, and never had any allergies whatsoever. She came to America for a couple of years as a college student and developed asthma and food allergies.

BTW....I would be for a catastrophic health insurance though to where if your hospital bills go over a certain amount, it kicks in...similar to a car insurance or a home insurance or renter's insurance, because its not meant to be used on a weekly basis.....

RugerGirl;88495 Wrote:As an unrelated side note, her sister came over here from India, and never had any allergies whatsoever. She came to America for a couple of years as a college student and developed asthma and food allergies.

Scary.

It could be the food dyes, artificial sweeteners, and other food additives that American processed food is loaded with. The majority of Americans don't read food labels and think the FDA is an incorruptible infallible agency that doesn't make "mistakes" (we'll give them the benefit of the doubt...)

They should realize there are many food additives proven to produce negative health effects in studies that are STILL APPROVED FOR CONSUMPTION BY THE FDA! Insane if you ask me....